Missed Moments
by DianaStorm09
Summary: After binge-watching OITNB, I felt compelled to write something about the sweet yet forbidden love story between John Bennett and Daya Diaz. Since my main focus is with my OG fan fic at this point, my updates for this story may be a little sporadic, but I promise to make an effort!


**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, settings or plot of Piper Kerman's autobiography and Netflix series' "Orange is the New Black". English is not my native language, so please forgive me for any grammatical mistakes. I feel terrible for using coarse language at times, but anyone who has seen the show knows I'll use it in an attempt to stay true to the characters.**

It was John's second day of work at Litchfield prison. When he parked his car, he breathed deeply, taking in the crisp and clean air. After his tours to Afghanistan, he appreciated the little things in life so much more; a strong cup of coffee, the roast his mother prepared for every Sunday family dinner, hearing birds sing. He was grateful for getting this job as he needed a stable income after all his savings were gone to cover the medical bills for his artificial leg. He got himself a small and affordable one-bedroom apartment in town, barely filled with furniture and his moving boxes still unpacked. He'd have to focus on making it a home later, first he had to start feeling more at home in his job.

Being a corrections officer seemed a pretty straightforward task; watch the inmates, break up fights, simply maintain order. Yet he missed his comrades, as his fellow corrections officers at Litchfield seemed, well, _different_. After his first day at work, John resigned himself to the belief that it may be hard to find friends among his new colleagues. Hence, his new life as corrections officer may be a much quieter life than he envisioned.

"Hey, new guy, wait up!" a booming voice yelled behind him. John turned around and sighed a little. It was George Mendez, the tall, mustached corrections officer who seemed filled with condescension for the inmates.

"It's Bennett." He said, when Mendez was close.

"Who cares, new guy," Mendez responded dismissively. "Way to start your second day, we're expecting a few new bitches today,"

John simply nodded as they entered the facility.

* * *

Daya Diaz looked at the blank wall in front of her, cursing herself internally. She thought of her sisters and her brother, what would come of them now that she wasn't there to take care of them? Cesar couldn't be trusted, despite what her mother seemed to believe. Daya thought of her mother and felt age old anger comes up. She's never been there for any of them, Daya can't remember a time when her mom would make them breakfast or get them ready for school. It was Daya who needed to make sure her siblings had their lunches packed and homework done, while struggling with her own school work. She had dreams of college and of taking art classes, but once she graduated from school, her mother wouldn't hear of it. Instead, she asked her to find work to help support the family. So Daya spent her days working at a fashion store at minimum wage, finding time to draw sitting behind the counters in the quiet morning hours as most customers came in once school was out. Sometimes, men would come by and try flirting with her, but Daya rarely engaged in the easy banter she has seen so many times between men and women. She's has had boyfriends before, but she's always felt emotionally empty when she was with them. Her mother said she loved Cesar, but their kind of love didn't look desirable to her, filled with jealousy, conditions, violent rages. Daya preferred being by herself, spending hours sketching, rather than losing her true self when she was with a man.

"Inmate, follow me," a guard bellowed at her. She followed him to a white minivan. A white, blond woman with wide eyes and a black girl with short hair and defiant eyes sat in it already, and the driver was wearing inmate clothes, too. Daya squeezed into the back row of the van.

* * *

John was surprised when he saw the blond woman waiting to have her picture taken, wondering what she has done to get here. George Mendez didn't seem to care, he was rude to her as he was to everyone else. After the new inmate, Chapman, had her picture taken, Mendez called for the next woman to come in. John was about to walk back to his desk, when a pair of dark brown eyes belonging to the young new inmate that was walking in met his. His heart skipped a beat and he quickly looked away.

"Do you still need me here at the computer, Mendez?" he asked, looking at his colleague.

"No, go back to work on the paperwork, Chapman was an unexpected self-surrender. Hate those, there's always extra paperwork we need to do for them."

Since Mendez looked at the computer while talking, John glanced once more at the girl with the soft eyes.

"Get a grip, she's a new inmate, she's out of bounds." He chided himself immediately.

Mendez then noticed John standing next to him still.

"New guy, get back to work!" Mendez bellowed.

* * *

Daya looked on as the nice-looking officer with the kind eyes turned around to walk to the desk in the back of the room.

"Look at the camera, Diaz!" Mendez ordered.

Daya stared at the camera impassively. Once the picture was taken, Officer Mendez ushered her out to go to her physical exam. Daya looked down, feeling the reality of her situation sink in. She was now in federal prison, just like her mother, when she had always vowed to herself not to become like her. She didn't see that John turned around to watch her leave the room.


End file.
